I went to one yesterday here in Toledo, man, 4 vendors, 2 selling processors, 1 with nothing more that a Celeron 533, the other selling PIII's at a $100 premium. (PIII 550 $399) 2 Vendors with vid cards, 1 DDR, the Asus 6800 for $279!!! I would name the show producers, but I don't want this thread to get locked. Anyone else with horror stories?
Has anyone ever been to a BAD computer show? I HAVE!!!
- Thread starter miken
- Start date
Yeah i have , down in Florida we get those except there is a hundred venders trying to sell Voodoo3 3000s for $175. Thos things are so overpriced these days, the only reasn why I still go is to look at all the items I am planning to order online in person.
Hehe - talk about rip-offs. A local computer store was trying to push a Voodoo2 12 MB for 250 $US. They'll never sell it.
Long before e-commerce took off, computer shows were the only place to get decent deals on stuff.
Every so often I still go just to see the prices. I'm always amazed that they sell anything at all. The internet is far cheaper and for the most part, more reliable.
Computer shows are dead...or at least they should be.
Every so often I still go just to see the prices. I'm always amazed that they sell anything at all. The internet is far cheaper and for the most part, more reliable.
Computer shows are dead...or at least they should be.
Actualy, I have been to a couple of computer shows and I have found the prices to be comparable to the internet prices. The Marketpro computer shows I have gone to have alot of internet vendors there too.
Computer shows definitely aren't what they used to be. While the prices aren't completely out of whack when compared to web retailers (usually within 10-15% of the lower web price), they all charge 3% on credit cards and most have horrible return and service policies. The only real advantage is that you get it right away. 
Having been a computer show junkie for years, I'm thinking about not renewing my MarketPro membership this Fall when it is up. Shows are full of newbies that don't have a clue and clog the aisles with baby carriages, vendors are way behind the technology curve when it comes to stocking new hardware, and the rise of dependable e-commerce sites has made the need to go minimal.
--Erik
Having been a computer show junkie for years, I'm thinking about not renewing my MarketPro membership this Fall when it is up. Shows are full of newbies that don't have a clue and clog the aisles with baby carriages, vendors are way behind the technology curve when it comes to stocking new hardware, and the rise of dependable e-commerce sites has made the need to go minimal.
--Erik
Marketpro? ha! The prices at those shows here are insanely high (well, in comparison to what's on the net).
WEll, the pomona show i went to this last weekend was crappy compared to normal pomona shows.... The only thing I got that was really well priced was RAM... Hyundai Cas2 PC133 for $128(no complaints here about that)... But as far as mb's go. Overpriced from everybody. Same with cpu's, hd's and cdrs. And no variety, either. It was mostly generic mb's, and not a single Soyo board in the entire show!!
Mike
Mike
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- Oct 9, 1999
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Also, you have to add the entrance fee to your purchase price, usually $5.00
The last thing I bought at a computer show was an Abit BH6 for $99.00 about two years ago, I haggled with the guy, got him down from $110.00 and got him to give me a heatsink/fan free, also it was near closing time and they didnt charge me to get in.
Overall, the prices are not great, but if you need it now, it is a good deal, I needed that motherboard that day(it was a sunday even), there were no computer shops in my area that carried a decent selection of current motherboards and I would have had to wait another three to five days for a mail order purchase, dont go there looking for bargains though.
The last thing I bought at a computer show was an Abit BH6 for $99.00 about two years ago, I haggled with the guy, got him down from $110.00 and got him to give me a heatsink/fan free, also it was near closing time and they didnt charge me to get in.
Overall, the prices are not great, but if you need it now, it is a good deal, I needed that motherboard that day(it was a sunday even), there were no computer shops in my area that carried a decent selection of current motherboards and I would have had to wait another three to five days for a mail order purchase, dont go there looking for bargains though.
Over the years I have figured out what shows are good in my area and which ones suck. I generally go to them when I need small stuff that is hard to find elsewhere, or if I need something quickly and there just happens to be a show.
The best thing about Comp shows is the haggling. I haggled a guy down on 64 MB PC100 from $80 to $55.
Market Pro is definetly the best IMHO. There's one every weekend and They always have good deals. I'm going to one in Annadale, VA on saturday, should be fun.
Only problem: Lack of up-to-date technology. I neder see any 700+ Mhz processors or any GeForce2's (I only saw one Voodoo5 two weeks ago.)
Cheers!
Market Pro is definetly the best IMHO. There's one every weekend and They always have good deals. I'm going to one in Annadale, VA on saturday, should be fun.
Only problem: Lack of up-to-date technology. I neder see any 700+ Mhz processors or any GeForce2's (I only saw one Voodoo5 two weeks ago.)
Cheers!
KGP and market pro have really good prices, about 10-20% lower then what I can get online on some stuff. But also alot of no brand name stuff for dirt cheap. Shows are great if you need a cheap plain case.
The question should be, has anyone ever been to a GOOD computer show. Around here, everything is promoted/run by the MarketPro alliance, and their traveling band of gypsy vendors are 99.99% shysters, liars, and/or cheats. Never seen so many remarks, old stock, obscenely high prices, etc. These guys make "carnies" look good ...
I went to the pomona show once. I bought a bunch of blank cd-r's just to justify the money I paid to get in. Never again.
I was about to go to the one in Pomona this weekend. From Mike's experience, I'm glad I didn't. I went to the one in Buena Park the week before and purchased parts for my 3rd rig.
I'm just waiting for the GF2 MX board to come out and the Celery 2 566 to go down more in price before I go on the hunt.
The entrance fees can be a pain, but I've bought an annual pass for $25 and as for parking (especially in Pomona), I just park in the neighborhood and walk in.
Very few of the vendors know what they are talking about. A huge majority talk crap just to get the sale. I also hate it when they charge 3% if one uses the plastic on a transaction.
I'm just waiting for the GF2 MX board to come out and the Celery 2 566 to go down more in price before I go on the hunt.
The entrance fees can be a pain, but I've bought an annual pass for $25 and as for parking (especially in Pomona), I just park in the neighborhood and walk in.
Very few of the vendors know what they are talking about. A huge majority talk crap just to get the sale. I also hate it when they charge 3% if one uses the plastic on a transaction.
Yeah, this past weekend's pomona show was a disappointment... nothing really good, nothing spectacular... of the 6 times i've been to the pomona show, this is by far the worst one..
I mean, come on... not a single soyo mb in the entire 2 building show????
Mike
I mean, come on... not a single soyo mb in the entire 2 building show????
Mike
I have been to a lot of the Market Pro shows in a couple of different states, and I still go occassionally. Best things I go for at the show are used parts and used monitors. You can also do ok on books and stuff, and some s/w. I'll also buy cables and peripheral stuff on occassion as well. I also love to haggle, and have made some pretty good deals when a guy is desperate to make a sale. The Harrisburg show is one that I try to avoid tho!! Last time I went, I was 45 min early, waited in line for 40 min, and by 10:30, you couldn't move down any of the aisles! Yikes!
I go to the shows out here in the northeast, the ones in southern New Hampshire exclusively (no sales tax!) The ones held in Salem and Nashua are fairly large, and some of the dealers are very aggressive on prices. You can find stuff within 5-10% of Pricewatch prices. Having been hosed by online vendors before, I just prefer to buy high ticket items like CPUs, mainboards, vid cards and monitors in person. At least out here it doesn't have to cost me too much more.
-Pain
The ones held in Salem and Nashua are fairly large, and some of the dealers are very aggressive on prices. You can find stuff within 5-10% of Pricewatch prices. Having been hosed by online vendors before, I just prefer to buy high ticket items like CPUs, mainboards, vid cards and monitors in person. At least out here it doesn't have to cost me too much more.-Pain
i went to one in Roanoke..
it SUCKED..
i came in when it was like 10 mins before closing..
they made me and my friend pay the 6$. and the prices were horrendous..
i dont think ill go out of my way to goto another one..
but then again my friend says that you can see alot of cool stuff if you are lucky..
he saw a equalizer that hooked up with the sound card and went in the 5 1/2 bay..
sweet.. but i heard it was 75.. haha there are them prices again..
anyone know where i can get one of these??
thanks
yungyu@hotmail.com
it SUCKED..
i came in when it was like 10 mins before closing..
they made me and my friend pay the 6$. and the prices were horrendous..
i dont think ill go out of my way to goto another one..
but then again my friend says that you can see alot of cool stuff if you are lucky..
he saw a equalizer that hooked up with the sound card and went in the 5 1/2 bay..
sweet.. but i heard it was 75.. haha there are them prices again..
anyone know where i can get one of these??
thanks
yungyu@hotmail.com
Marketpro Computer Shows here in the Sacramento Ca are very good. They screen all vendors and there are prices at least comparable to online vendors most of the time (of course varies from vendor to vendor). My current computer I built mostly from parts I got from one of their shows and its been doin pretty well. I have also had no trouble returning items (so far only returned one or two items) since all the same vendors go to the shows each time they have one =) It's also kinda fun being able to actually touch and inspect something your going to buy. Which is why computer shows are a nice place to buy moniters. Online prices and you can check out how they look. Anyway, thats my opinion, I like them.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying they are all bad, but TLG is just horrible.. MarketPro is excellent as far as shows go, but they are only here about once a year.
I'm one of the lucky one's too, I have never had a product go bad from a show, I'm always afraid of those return and "restocking" fees.
I'm one of the lucky one's too, I have never had a product go bad from a show, I'm always afraid of those return and "restocking" fees.
Caitiff -- where do you live? I saw you mentioned the Harrisburg MarketPro show. I live in Lancaster. The secret to avoiding lines is to get a membership card. It pays for itself if you go to 5 shows a year and lets you walk right to the door.
The one thing I do like getting at shows in software. You can get OEM titles pretty cheap there. For some reason no one had a copy of Quake III, OEM or retail, this past weekend. HUH?
I always pay with credit card now at shows. I hate paying that 3% surcharge but I've dealt with too many vendors that won't honor return policies. Gotta love stop payment on credit cards.
--Erik
The one thing I do like getting at shows in software. You can get OEM titles pretty cheap there. For some reason no one had a copy of Quake III, OEM or retail, this past weekend. HUH?
I always pay with credit card now at shows. I hate paying that 3% surcharge but I've dealt with too many vendors that won't honor return policies. Gotta love stop payment on credit cards.
--Erik
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